ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Maryland Board of Public Works has withdrawn all items tied to a $5 million grant package under the African American Heritage Preservation Program, including proposed funding for historic Black landmarks in Charles and St. Mary’s counties.
The decision came during the board’s Jan. 7, 2026, meeting, where none of the 29 proposed grants were approved. The entire agenda section was marked as “withdrawn without discussion.”
In Charles County, a proposed $250,000 grant for the rehabilitation of Old Pomonkey High School in Bryans Road was among the items pulled. The project, led by the Pomonkey High School Alumni Association, Inc., aimed to restore the 1950s-era gymnasium wing — the only surviving part of the historic school, which served as the first public high school for African American students in the county prior to desegregation.
This funding request had received strong local support, including a letter of backing from the Charles County Board of Commissioners on June 10, 2025.
Also withdrawn was a $108,000 grant for cemetery conservation at Alexandria Chapel United Methodist Church, located near Indian Head in Charles County.
In St. Mary’s County, a $38,000 grant had been proposed by St. Mary’s College of Maryland to support conservation and sitework at Galilee United Methodist Cemetery in Mechanicsville, located off Loveville Road (Route 247). That grant was also withdrawn along with the rest of the funding package.
The African American Heritage Preservation Program is a joint initiative of the Maryland Historical Trust and the Maryland Commission on African American History and Culture, created to provide critical funding for the preservation of African American churches, cemeteries, schools, and cultural landmarks throughout the state.
The FY27 African American Heritage Preservation Program grant round is expected to open in March 2026.
The Significance Of Pomonkey’s Historic District
Pomonkey Historic District in Indian Head was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in August 2024. The 78-acre district, established in 1868 as a community for Free Black Americans, is home to Metropolitan United Methodist Church, Walton’s Market, and the former Pomonkey High School. The designation recognizes the area’s enduring significance in Southern Maryland’s Black history and community development.
For more context on Pomonkey’s history and the surrounding community, residents can watch a Charles County Government video titled “This Place Matters – The Village of Pomonkey“, which features local history and highlights the significance of The Village of Pomonkey.
